Raised bed construction need not be a very tasking issue. When we look at the advantages of a raised bed over the conventional gardening methods, we will be scurrying out back to get this frame erected as soon as possible. Initially we need to pay great care to the assembly of this raised bed frame because going forward; we will hopefully use this facility for years to come.

Having selected a good level location where the bed will be positioned to avail of the advantages of the sun, it is time to begin construction. Whether we are using this raised bed for flowers or for vegetables, we still need to be particular and ensure that we have a strong sturdy frame in place. A standard 8ft x 4ft is a good size for starters, if we need to expand next year we will have gained considerable experience and knowledge from our first year at this new venture.

If you have purchased this frame online or you are constructing this bed with your own materials, as stated above location is paramount. Orientate the bed in an east-west direction. When raised bed is complete the next step is to infill with soil and compost mix. Again depending on how particular we are about gardening, we need to add a good soil mix/dressing; reason being, this will be our foundation bed and we need to pay a lot of attention to this important detail. Advice on this issue can be had from our local garden centre or is available online.

If positioned strategically, this can become an attractive feature of our garden. What I look at myself when setting out, is that it can be seen immediately when entering my backgarden or that it is visible from a kitchen or sitting room window. Another little detail that we must not forget is to ensure that it is close to a water source. We don’t need a long draw with our watering can, causing extra unnecessary work. On that subject we need to watch closely, as raised beds tend to dry out quickly due to the short depth of the soil in the bed frame.

Planting and sewing is the next step and if we are an experienced gardener this won’t be a problem. However if this is our first time at this exercise – don’t worry either way. Its trial and error in a sense and learning as we progress along towards becoming a better, accomplished gardener. Start out with the easiest of vegetables like carrots, parsnips, onions and lettuces etc. There are numerous tutorials written online on this particular subject.